Flat file database for you computer guys

[Sandlapper]

Ok, I know it dates me, but years ago I use to use a flat file database called Q and A that was quite helpful is managing stuff at work as well as for a professional organization I belonged to, but it went away with DOS. In trying to find a replacement to use with a project for my community concert band and not wanting to do it in a spreadsheet - databases have always been safer for me (as in do a sort on the first field not having selected the entire table, not good). It's also helpful to have a screen with the information on it in an easier to see form than trying to work on a line in a table. Access is way to much of a hassle for this project

Does anyone know anything about or use Sesame Database Manager which sounds like a successor to the Q and A.

Thanks

[TubaTodd]

Before my current job, I knew nothing about databases and my primary storage format for web forms was a csv. In my current job, I learned MySQL. In no time I understood how easy was to query a table or multiple tables. (ex: select firstName, lastName from bandMembers where instrument like '%sax%'; this would give you the names of all of your sax players) It may be worth looking at.

As far as flat files for data storage the most common are xml and json. I look at xml on a daily basis. It's very powerful and you can use xslt transforms to search through fields and format your data

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0"?>
    <band>
        <member current="yes">
            <firstName>Joe<f/irstName>
            <lastName>Smith</lastName>
            <instrument>alto saxophone</instrument/>
            <streetAddress>123 Maple Lane</streetAddress>
            <city>Birmingham</city>
            <phone type="mobile">205-555-1234</phone>
        </member>
        <member current="yes">
            <firstName>Bob<f/irstName>
            <lastName>Williams</lastName>
            <instrument>tuba</instrument/>
            <streetAddress>3 Maple Lane</streetAddress>
            <city>Hoover</city>
            <phone type="home">205-555-4321</phone>
        </member>
    </band>